Sports Car Weather App

[Spektyr]

I did some looking around for something like this a while ago and the closest thing I found was related to motorcycles. What I'm looking for is something simpler than checking the weather.

And yes, that's fairly simple already.

I could probably build it myself, and may actually do so, but before I get even partially serious about doing something like this I want to be sure I'm not duplicating effort that's already been done, and I'd be interested in hearing whether I'm the only one with an interest in such an app/device, and if not, what features I might not have considered.


Basically what I envision is a simple Red, Yellow, Green light. You pull up the app on your phone or (my preference) look at a device on the wall of the garage and you see at a glance whether the weather meets your requirements for good sports car driving.

This should be something users can configure individually. Temperature, precipitation, etc. You set a Green, Yellow, and Red zone for each and then the system creates an overall score. This could be:

Lowest-Common-Denominator - Any Yellow items create a Yellow score overall, etc. (So if every weather condition is the green, but one is Red, the light is red.)

Aggregate Score - more complicated, each weather condition could be weighted individually so that for example "precipitation" counts more than "temperature" or whatever. The combined score creates a final "weather color".

Bit of Both - start with the Aggregate Score, and add automatic "always Red" conditions. Example: the overall score would add up to Yellow, but if wind is over 100mph, always set it red.


My idea is that I can walk out to the garage getting ready to go somewhere, glance up, see what color the light is, and decide whether to drive the GR86 or the truck without spending any further thought.

Does such a thing exist already? Am I the only one who wants one?

[Arthur-A]

Don't want to bash the idea, but.. umm.. is it for someone who's looking for an excuse to not drive the car?

[Spektyr]

Originally Posted by Arthur-A

Don't want to bash the idea, but.. umm.. is it for someone who's looking for an excuse to not drive the car?

There's a variety of reasons. It could be as simple as someone wanting to use the right tool for the job. If the weather is crappy, the crappy-weather vehicle makes more sense.

Since this is the "other vehicles" section it could be someone with a classic convertible they don't want driving in wet conditions (to avoid rust and/or needing to drive with the top up).


Personally, I want to keep my new GR86 as nice as possible for as long as possible. If driving my truck when it's raining lets me keep the car shiny and skip what would otherwise be an unnecessary car wash, that's something to consider.

[Jdmjunkie]

Why would I need some algorithm to interpret the weather forecast?

Do you believe that the average person is unable to look at and comprehend a weather report?

It sounds like a solution looking for a problem.

[Tcoat]

I would hate to leave with it green and have it turn red. I could be suck anywhere.
Am I the only person that just has the 86? Am I supposed to buy a truck for days it rains or is windy?
I can see this being great for somebody too lazy to check the weather forecast (or look out the bloody window) before going on a Sunday afternoon bike cruise but day to day real life doubt there would be many takers.

[Arthur-A]

I'll just leave it here

[Spektyr]

Originally Posted by Jdmjunkie

Why would I need some algorithm to interpret the weather forecast?

Do you believe that the average person is unable to look at and comprehend a weather report?

It sounds like a solution looking for a problem.

I thought I was fairly clear when I said that it's already simple to read a weather forecast.

However, most weather forecasts require non-zero interaction to get all the data. They assume that for most people "sunny/cloud/etc" and a temperature is all that matters. You usually need to press additional menu options to see temp, precipitation or wind by the hour.

The point isn't whether it's possible to get the information another way. The point is that it would be simpler this way.

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I would hate to leave with it green and have it turn red. I could be suck anywhere.

That's why the data pulls from the weather forecast and not simply what conditions are at that time. If the weather forecast changes that drastically in the hours you're gone then there's absolutely nothing that could have provided you better information.

Now if you're using the "look out the bloody window" technique of weather forecasting then yes, some unpredictable results may occur well outside the typical margin of error for modern meteorology. And since I'm not the least bit interested in trying to build this off a camera connected to an AI learning model to look out a window and predict the weather, that's not the method that this device would compete with anyway.


It's basically the same system people already use today. It looks at the forecast and, based on the way it's configured, decides whether it's a "Beautiful day", "Average Day", or "Terrible Day" for driving.

You can do that yourself, to be sure. You can also simply build a comprehensive weather forecast display to hang on the wall powered by a single-board computer and a touchscreen that shows all the possible relevant data if that's what you prefer. (It's not even difficult to do.)

But since I know how I'd make my decision based on that data, I can move a slider so that computer makes the same decision the same way, skip the whole display, and just give it an RGB light to output the result.

It's fine if you don't see the value in having something automated.
I don't see the value in doing it slowly, manually, every time when the result is the same either way.

I am not, however, saying that not doing it my way is lazy or stupid.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Something like a weather radar?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...hl=en_US&gl=US

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/myrada...ar/id322439990




https://www.amazon.com/Ambient-Weath...a-914249048365

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Spektyr

I thought I was fairly clear when I said that it's already simple to read a weather forecast.

However, most weather forecasts require non-zero interaction to get all the data. They assume that for most people "sunny/cloud/etc" and a temperature is all that matters. You usually need to press additional menu options to see temp, precipitation or wind by the hour.

The point isn't whether it's possible to get the information another way. The point is that it would be simpler this way.



That's why the data pulls from the weather forecast and not simply what conditions are at that time. If the weather forecast changes that drastically in the hours you're gone then there's absolutely nothing that could have provided you better information.

Now if you're using the "look out the bloody window" technique of weather forecasting then yes, some unpredictable results may occur well outside the typical margin of error for modern meteorology. And since I'm not the least bit interested in trying to build this off a camera connected to an AI learning model to look out a window and predict the weather, that's not the method that this device would compete with anyway.


It's basically the same system people already use today. It looks at the forecast and, based on the way it's configured, decides whether it's a "Beautiful day", "Average Day", or "Terrible Day" for driving.

You can do that yourself, to be sure. You can also simply build a comprehensive weather forecast display to hang on the wall powered by a single-board computer and a touchscreen that shows all the possible relevant data if that's what you prefer. (It's not even difficult to do.)

But since I know how I'd make my decision based on that data, I can move a slider so that computer makes the same decision the same way, skip the whole display, and just give it an RGB light to output the result.

It's fine if you don't see the value in having something automated.
I don't see the value in doing it slowly, manually, every time when the result is the same either way.

I am not, however, saying that not doing it my way is lazy or stupid.

Just checked the hourly, 36 hour, and 7 day forecasts from start to finish took me 8.6 seconds. Pretty sure most people have a phone that they can do the same on.
May I remind you that YOU asked for input on the idea in your opening post.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Something like a weather radar?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...hl=en_US&gl=US

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/myrada...ar/id322439990




https://www.amazon.com/Ambient-Weath...a-914249048365

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

This (weather radars) confuse me, but I should learn it since there is a weather radar in Gran Turismo 7!

[Spektyr]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

May I remind you that YOU asked for input on the idea in your opening post.

Technically I asked if anyone else was interested in this type of thing, not what everyone thought about it. To be clear, I'm not upset that people chose to stop browsing and comment that they wouldn't use this if they had it available to them. I'm simply saying that I didn't ask them to, I asked if people were interested and if so, what they'd want from it.

And while people are certainly entitled to the "if you don't do it the way I do it you're lazy or stupid" kind of opinion, it is perhaps not the best moral high ground to stand upon when explaining why someone's idea isn't for you.

[Ultramaroon]

Would I have to mount the light in the garage, or could it be adapted for, say, the kitchen?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Spektyr

Am I the only one who wants one?

Originally Posted by Spektyr

Technically I asked if anyone else was interested in this type of thing, not what everyone thought about it. To be clear, I'm not upset that people chose to stop browsing and comment that they wouldn't use this if they had it available to them. I'm simply saying that I didn't ask them to, I asked if people were interested and if so, what they'd want from it.

And while people are certainly entitled to the "if you don't do it the way I do it you're lazy or stupid" kind of opinion, it is perhaps not the best moral high ground to stand upon when explaining why someone's idea isn't for you.

That was a pretty open question. If just looking for positive reinforcement then you should have said so.